TeeJay Hogan continues his “Rock Your Socks” promotion for second year
BY DIANA WALKER
just some basic maintenance. Macdonald stated she was told the hydrants may only require some gas kets and O-rings and won’t require digging up the pavement.
ating budget Coun. Clark German complimented the CAO.
“I think you did an excellent job Elaine,” said German.
He also asked the CAO if she’d had a chance to look into the amount of water Big Valley actually purchased, but Macdonald answered she wasn’t able to do that yet.
German noted he felt the village should be as prepared as possible for water purchases because an unexpected and non-budgeted purchase could have a big financial effect on the village.
During discussion Coun. Amber
Hoogenberg asked why numbers show the village’s water usage has dropped year to year.
Macdonald answered the village has had a couple of leaks repaired over the past few years.
Councillors discussed the municipal assessor, with Macdonald stating she was very happy with Big Valley’s assessor. The CAO stated the village’s assessor knows the job very well and meets all the requirements of the Municipal Government Act (MGA).
SCHS Grade 9 student TeeJay Hogan set up a table at the Junior Boys Basketball Tournament on March 7, offering a large selection of crazy socks for sale.
Mayor Dan Houle responded that in his opinion assessments in Big Valley may be a
German added that it does seem that Big Valley has a lot of properties assessed at the minimum value, with the CAO pointing out there are 37 in total.
“This year’s fundraising goal is $700,” says Ann O’Conner, TeeJay’s Education Assistant. “We want to beat the $625 made last year.”
Councillors unanimously approved the 2023 operating budget.
“We are doing great this year with sales so far,” says Miss Ann. “We are already uploaded to $550, so I don’t think beating our goal will be a problem.”
Socks are available in TeeJay’s classroom in South Central High School until March 20th, as the 21st is a professional development day.
Hoogenberg also mused that the water tower has been drained and refilled which may have also played a role.
Signs are posted at both grocery stores.
Crazy Sock Day is a day to raise awareness for Down Syndrome celebrated on March 21st every year. People worldwide celebrate World Down Syndrome Day wearing brightly coloured, mismatched socks. March 21 is symbolic because people with Down syndrome have three copies of their 21st chromosome. Why socks? The karyotype of Ds chromosomes looks like mismatched socks!
Miss Ann and TeeJay Hogan were busy selling socks at the Junior Boys Basketball Tournament on March 7. PHOTO BY DIANA WALKER
Bud Herbert
Master Electrician, Red Seal Instrumentation PO Box 193, Oyen, AB T0J 2J0
Cell: 403-664-9637
buds_e_i_services@yahoo.com
Office: 403-676-2162
Fax: 403-676-2152
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31 teams compete in annual Ice to Dice
Another year of Acadia Valley’s annual Ice to Dice curling bonspiel has come to an end. The Acadia Valley Rec Club celebrated its 26th year of hosting the weeklong event, which is the club’s major fundraiser to support the community. They are extremely grateful for another successful year.
The event kicked off on Sunday, February 23rd—a day earlier than most previous years—with 31 teams registered. Teams played a guaranteed three games, with the winning teams advancing to the finals on Sunday, March 2nd.
Jarvis. Ryan Niwa took home first place in the tournament, followed by Jordan Stolz in Second and Ashton Kuhn in third. Randi Kuhn took fourth, and Tom Rafa finished fifth.
The busy week eased in, with curling, visiting, and nightly 50/50 draws being the focus from Sunday to Tuesday.
The action started Wednesday with the annual Crib Tournament, the opening night of the Jackpot Wheel and the Fundraiser Dinner hosted by The Prairie Elevator Museum and Teahouse. A total of 20 teams competed in the tournament. Robert & Taylor Fauth won first place; Wally Skappak & April Heeg took second place; and Dennis Lemare & Wes Konelson took third.
Thursday’s highly anticipated Wing Night was once again a huge hit, selling out with just over 225 dozen wings! The Flash Draw fundraiser started last year for the 25th anniversary and was brought back for a second year. Robert Fauth was the lucky winner, taking home a 50” TV & $300 gift card.
Saturday morning was greeted with a breakfast, coffee and lunch visit from “The Clay Cup Co,” along with a full day of curling. A catered meal provided by “Pat’s Kitchen”, kicked off the evening portion of the event, with draws & silent biding slowly winding down throughout the evening. The ‘Canmore Weekend Getaway Trip’ was won by Dustin Rafa; Kregan Warrington took home the ‘Yeti Package’; ‘The Jackpot Wheel Pot’ was won by Yolanda Kuhn; ‘Best Poker Hand’ went to Taylor Fauth and ‘The Worst Poker Hand’ went to Dakota Skappak; Kelli Smigelski was the lucky winner of the ‘Toonie Broom & Money’; Chynna-Lynn Photography won the ‘Business Trip.’
Finally, the coveted ‘Vegas Trip’ that all curling teams are entered in a draw to win was won by Brittany Allen, along with her team, Brett & Kelli Smigelski & Braden Conway.
The evening was celebrated with a DJ dance, visiting and smiles all around.
The teams who had advanced in their respective curling events battled it out on Sunday. After a full day of curling, Dale Monkman and his team won the ‘A Event’; followed by Scott Heeg, Chance McCurdy & Morgan Senkiw’s teams; Brett Peterson’s team won the ‘B Event,’ followed by Marie Cowan, Joe Niwa and Randy Stolz’s teams; Tami Cox and her team won the ‘C Event’, followed by Gary Hawkins, Derek Kauppinen & Deena Dillabough’s teams.
Throughout the week, a ‘tip jar’ was stationed at the bar window, collecting donations for the Hayhurst’s; a local family who recently had their lives uprooted when Al & Robyn were involved in a motor vehicle accident while travelling to Oyen. Since The Rec Club offered to match the donations collected, the family will receive just under $2100. In addition, prior to the start of Friday’s poker tournament, friends, families and some fellow Acadia Valley Fire Department volunteers hosted a “Pass the Boot” fundraiser for the family, passing around & collecting donations in Al’s fire boot. The family received an additional $1710. These fundraising efforts will be used to help alleviate some of the financial burden associated with their recovery.
The following night, 50 poker players competed to win one of five prizes. Players and guests were greeted with a fundraiser supper hosted by The Oyen Daycare, followed by a specialty cocktail menu crafted by Roger & Jamie Didychuk and Phil
To learn more about the week, visit the event page on Facebook and search “Acadia Valley Ice to Dice.” Here, you can find the daily recaps, including the nightly 50/50 winners, generous donors, and any additional information pertaining to the event.
On behalf of the Ice to Dice committee, The Rec Club, and the community, thank you to everyone who supports this event in all capacities, big and small. This event wouldn’t have been the 26-year success that it is without you.
ARTICLE AND PHOTOS SUBMITTED
Brett Petterson («won» the duck)
Yolanda Kuhn (Jackpot Wheel)
Kregan Warrington (Yeti Package)
Dakota Skappak (Lowest Hand)
Kelli Smigelski (Toonie Broom)
Chynna Kuhn (Business Draw)
OPINION:
Non-profit groups give Canadians what they need
BY JOAN JANZEN
Children from both the past and present have always shared an entertaining perspective. An elderly lady recalled a vivid memory of being liberated in Holland at the end of WWII. After having survived on a diet of sugar beets and tulip bulbs, the children were thrilled to see smiling soldiers tossing them Hershey’s chocolate and chewing gum, which they had never seen or tasted before. This lady remembers catching and sharing a piece of gum with her friends. “Of course, it ended up in your mouth again,” she laughed and noted they called it the everlasting candy because you could chew it, and it never ended. More recently I overheard a pre-schooler while shopping. As she and her mom approached the toy aisle, the youngster enthusiastically exclaimed, “Oh, goodie! It’s my stuff!” Then she paused for two seconds, looked at her mom and added, “… that I need”.
Adults are just like kids; they need stuff and are thrilled when they find something that continues to add flavour to their lives. Non-profit organizations like the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedom (JCCF) do exactly that by continuously defending the rights of Canadians. Ryan, host of Northern Perspective, recently interviewed John Carpay, founder of JCCF. John explained JCCF
is a non-partisan civil liberties organization founded in 2010.
“We’re a registered charity and don’t receive government funding. Donations from Canadians support a team of ten lawyers all across Canada who are involved in dozens of court cases all over the country.”
One of their most recent cases involved the proroguing of government.
“It’s almost unimaginable how much work goes into this case. You’ve got four lawyers that are all working sixteen-hour days for weeks prior to the hearing, reading up on dozens of different cases and how they might apply,” he explained.
Ryan asked why the ruling on this case is important. His guest replied, “For generations to come there is no Canadian law on what are the limits on the power of the Prime Minister to prorogue parliament. He can do it for any reason; there are no boundaries. My hope is that the court ruling will place appropriate boundaries because it’s not healthy for any democracy to have that kind of power, regardless of the party to which the Prime Minister belongs. It’s good to have checks and balances.”
Regarding this particular case, he said the government is accountable to parliament, and parliament is elected by the people. “Government is held to account by parliament; there’s been
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zero accountability for a very long time. We object to prorogation being used as a tool to benefit one particular party.”
Ryan pointed out that it’s organizations like JCCF that help people face challenges, even when they don’t realize they can fight back against institutions. JCCF can also advise whether a person is facing a potential breach of Charter of Rights and Freedoms of our constitution.
John shared an example of a case from a few years ago, which he called the Easter Bunny case. A couple in Hamilton went through the rigorous screening to become foster parents. Two vulnerable young girls were placed in their care and everything was going really well until a social worker asked the couple if they were going to tell the girls about the Easter Bunny during the upcoming Easter holiday. The couple replied that they would be having an Easter egg hunt but were not planning on telling the girls about the Easter Bunny.
“On that basis, these girls were removed from the home. It was horrifically painful for the foster parents and the girls,” John reported. “So we sued the Hamilton Children’s Aid Society and were successful in getting a ruling that government agencies can’t discriminate against parents on the basis of religious belief.”
The founder said freedom of speech
is a priority for JCCF, and they’re taking a lead in opposing the Online Harms Act, which he considers the most aggressive assault against free speech in Canadian history.
The host of Northern Perspective pointed out it’s dangerous when the government decides what is truth, as well as what Canadians can and cannot say.
John said, “If you lost every other right but maintained your freedom of expression, you could use it to win back all the rights and freedoms that you’ve lost. Conversely, if you lose your freedom of expression, you can’t even defend yourself properly against assaults on other freedoms. If you lose freedom of speech, it becomes very dark very quickly when trying to protect yourself against other rights violations.”
The JCCF lawyer pointed out that the foundation of a free society includes freedom of expression, as well as people practicing the virtues of honesty, courage, compassion and humility. “When virtue is lacking, it becomes very difficult or perhaps even impossible to sustain a free society,” he concluded.
Government determining what you can or cannot say, could be compared to sharing a piece of chewing gum with others. Approved speech regurgitated in your mouth sends a one-sided message that never ends.
Pop89: Giving up
BY MADONNA HAMEL
I’m giving up coffee for Lent. For some reason, I can give up certain habits more easily for Lent than for a smaller size of jeans. But the point of “giving up” is not, as many believe, to virtue signal to the world that you are willing to suffer under the punitive hand of a nasty and narcissistic God. It is to be consciously aware of what we have and be thankful for it. To give the five bucks a day you spend on your latte to the local shelter or food bank. And, to develop, over the period of 40 days, healthy habits that hopefully stick and strengthen us long after Easter.
It turns out giving up coffee is way easier for me than giving up smart-ass remarks about both liberal and conservative politics. I am in need of a rigorous habit of not stooping to polarized mud-slinging. (In retrospect, my last column was my equivalent fo Mardi Gras - the gluttonous, free-for-all Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.) So, last night, I attended an Ash Wednesday service.
I shuffled forward in a slow-moving line of devout and lapsed Catholics toward an ancient priest who would smudge my forehead with last Easter’s Palm Sunday palm ashes and remind me that “we are born from dust, and unto dust, we shall return.” The gesture was humbling.
Unfortunately, on the way back to my pew I spotted a so-called Christian newspaper with a picture of the American president on the cover, glowering like the new punitive and narcissistic God he’s become. I couldn’t help but grab then paper from the foyer table and stuff it into my bag, even though I knew I was providing my smart-ass self with fodder for another rant.
I could hear the clever devil on my shoulder winding up with a few choice words for the president: “If you send all those bad immigrants back home how ever will you support your billion-dollar incarceration industry?” “Don’t go there,” my good angel answers back. Not because it’s not a good point, but because it points outward, at others, and this service is about looking inward, taking care of my side of the street. Maybe even stepping back and getting a look at the bigger neighbourhood, then acting locally.
“Act like you actually believe it when you say the kindness of strangers makes a real difference. That politics should not dictate whether or not I help a person out of a car burning on the side of the road,” my angel whispers. “This Ash Wednesday reminds us we are all precious in the eyes of the Great Mystery, and we’ll all end up little piles of dust, too. And yes, we are all flawed. We are not made to agree on everything; but we start where we are.”
The priest opened his homily with a joke, a classic toastmaster’s trick. But the joke was all I heard, because it encapsulated where we are today. It spoke to how often we compartmentalize our suffering from our successes, our crimes from our kindnesses, our hate-ons from our help-outs. How we can laugh at mean-spirited language hurled by our own team, but cry foul when similar remarks get lobed at us.
Here’s the joke: A young man holds up a priest in
I shuffled forward in a slow-moving line of devout and lapsed Catholics toward an ancient priest who would smudge my forehead with last Easter’s Palm Sunday palm ashes and remind me that “we are born from dust, and unto dust, we shall return.” The gesture was humbling.
an alleyway. The priest, reaching for his wallet, reveals his collar. The young man immediately apologizes: “Oh, I’m sorry father, I didn’t know you were a priest.” The priest replies: “ I’m sorry, son. I have no money in my pocket. But I have some cigarettes, would you like one?” “Oh no, father, I gave up smoking for Lent.”
At first, I thought, cute. But then, I realized, this is us. This is who we are. Flawed, broken, messy and sometimes way off the rails, so much so we rob old men in alleys to get what we foolishly spent on drugs or what was robbed from us when our jobs ended and were farmed out to cheaper labour. We make mistakes that lead to bigger mistakes. We rob others and ourselves out of desperation, compulsion, selfishness and fear. We are all that young thug.
But how many of us are the priest? I know - you would never be a priest because all priests are child-abusing misogynists. But, stick with me on thisin the story, the priest represents our Good Samaritan self, our spiritual self. The priest is in an alleyway, after all, not a gated community. He’s there, not because it’s a bad neighbourhood, but because this is where humanity could use a little good will. It’s where he’s more likely to encounter trouble and be of service.
And he’s broke. He can’t give the young man money, but hey! I’ve got a half-pack of smokes - want one?
Cigarettes were, when I was a reporter, a means to getting a story. Standing and smoking on the sidewalk outside a press conference often gave me access to people in-the-know who happened to be smokers. In the priest’s case, it predisposed him to a possible heart-felt relinquishment of a long-held story of woe. But the young man doesn’t smoke. It’s the one thing he can give up for Lent - a remnant of a childhood religious tradition he mysteriously held on to.
Do we gasp at the glaring disconnect between robbing and Lenting? Is this the kind of compartmentalizing that allows people to gobble up reality shows designed to denigrate contestants, and then recoil in horror when their country elects one of its biggest “stars” because, yes, while he’s “horrible for the country, he’s great for ratings”?
Or, is it an example of the young man in us, trying to do something right, get a foothold into our spiritual self? It all depends on whether we step toward erecting walls or bringing them down. On what we keep and what we give up.
Overall, Ovechkin’s a sniper, but he’s no Gretzky
BY BRUCE PENTON
It was a legitimate question, coming from a person who is not a fan of the National Hockey League, but aware of the hype surrounding Washington Capitals’ sniper Alex Ovechkin’s drive to overtake Wayne Gretzky in the statistical category ‘most goals-career’ in the NHL:
“So is Ovechkin better than Gretzky was?”
BY BRUCE PENTON Sports Columnist
Uh, no. Not even close. It’s like asking whether Bruce Springsteen is a better musician than Ludwig van Beethoven or Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Springsteen may have made a lot more money than the men who came 200 years before him, but … different eras. Ovechkin’s goal-scoring feats are actually somewhat more impressive than Gretzky’s because the Russian-born 39-year-old has played most of his career in a defensive era whereas Gretzky played in — and was probably responsible for — a high-octane, let-er-rip offensive era that produced massive offensive totals.
But as an overall player? There is no comparison. Not only did Gretzky score 894 goals during his 21year NHL career (plus another 46 as a teenager in two World Hockey Association seasons before the Oilers joined the NHL) but he racked up 1,963 assists, a total no one will ever approach. In 1985-86, a season in which Gretzky scored 52 goals (only the eighth-highest single-season output in his career), the Great One picked up 163 assists. In fact, his assist tally alone that season would have won the Art Ross trophy as the NHL’s leading scorer. (Mario Lemieux was second in the points’ race that year with 141).
When Gretzky was in his prime, leading the Edmonton Oilers to four Stanley Cups (1984, 1985, 1987 and 1988), the Oilers scored more than 5.5 goals per game. Ovechkin’s Capitals, the highest-scoring team in the NHL this season, are averaging around 3.5 goals per game. Goalies may be better, or teams are playing a more defensive-style game, but whatever the reason, goals are far harder to come by for Ovechkin than they were for Gretzky, who had Hall of Famers Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and Paul Coffey, among others, either setting him up or scoring on Gretzky’s brilliant playmaking..
Take away Gretzky’s 894 career goals and he still
leads the NHL in career points, thanks to his 1,963 assists. Jaromir Jagr is second in total points with 1,921, and Jagr played 250 more games than did Gretzky. Ovechkin is 11th on the all-time points list.
A couple of weeks ago, when Ovechkin scored three goals in a 7-3 win over the Oilers to move to within 12 goals of tying the Gretzky mark, their per-game stats were incredibly close. Ovechkin’s per-game goal total was .60122 while Gretzky’s was .60121.
So no, Ovechkin may wind up to be the NHL’s alltime goal-scoring leader, but he’s not in the Gretzky realm for overall greatness. The two are stylistically opposites: Gretzky the cerebral, methodical, slow-operating setup man who appeared to read the play two or three seconds before it happened; Ovechkin the wind-up-and-blast sharpshooter who overpowered goalies.
Ovechkin is great, no doubt. But he’s never going to surpass the Great One.
• Las Vegas Golden Knights feed on Twitter, after Victor Olofsson scored twice in a win over Minnesota: “How many times do you think we can say ‘Goalofsson’ in one night before we can start thinking of a second pun?”
• Wisdom from hockey great Gordie Howe: “I always tell kids, you have two eyes and one mouth. Keep two open and one closed. You never learn anything if you’re the one talking.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “Tennis great Ilie Nastase, 78, recently was arrested by Romanian traffic cops — twice in just over six hours. The guy was known for his faults, but that’s one heck of a double fault.”
• Greg Cote of the Miami Herald, on Aaron Rodgers’ future: “If the Dolphins sign Rodgers to replace Tua Tagovailoa I’ll hitchhike from here to Winnipeg.”
• Headline at theonion.com: “Numerous teams express interest in Aaron Rodgers playing elsewhere”
• SF Giants’ fan Janice Hough of leftcoastsportsbabe.com: “Four weeks to MLB opening day. Look forward to the day when we can boo multimillionaires and billionaires, who instead of destroying our country, just play for the Dodgers.”
• Bob Molinaro of pilot online.com (Hampton, Va,): “Now that the Canadians have hockey bragging rights, only an American sourpuss would point out that it’s been more than 30 years since a Canadian team brought home the Stanley Cup.”
• Vancouver comedy guy Torben Rolfsen: “Phila-
delphia Eagles GM Howie Roseman was hit in the head with a beer can during the Eagles’ championship parade. That’s how you say good morning in Philadelphia.”
• RJ Currie of sportsdeke.com: “According to ESPN, MLB recently has had a problem – more strikeouts than hits. It’s the same problem I had when I was dating.”
• A groaner from RJ Currie: “2023 was the 30th year the Milwaukee Brewers sausages raced, and current sponsor Johnsonville says they plan to do so in 2025 and beyond. This has reassured fans who had feared for the wursts.”
• Steve Simmons of the Toronto Sun: “A penalty for the wayward Vancouver Canucks and nobody else: Too many Petterssons on the ice.”
Care to comment? Email brucepenton2003@yahoo.ca
Name: Caleb Oickle
Position: Left Field
Where are you from? Liverpool, Nova Scotia Billets: Zack & Kaitlyn
What do you love most about the Badlands Baseball Academy? Being able to play baseball! Who is your favourite MLB team? Toronto Blue Jays
Name: Luke Caskey
Position: Catcher
Where are you from? Oyen, AB
Billets: Trent & Christie Caskey
What do you love most about the Badlands Baseball Academy?
with my teammates and playing baseball every single day.
is your favourite MLB team? Toronto Blue Jays
Name: Mason Heintz
Position: Outfielder
Where are you from? Medicine Hat, AB Billets: Luke & Rachel Ruschkowski
What do you love most about the Badlands Baseball Academy? Getting better and my teammates. Who is your favourite MLB team? Toronto Blue Jays
WINNER WINNER! George Peacock won Cereal’s Chase the Ace on Thursday, March 6, 2025! He found that elusive Ace of Clubs and skipped home with more than $2600.
ECA Review to close after 114 years
Former AWNA and CCNA publisher Joyce Webster has made the painful decision to close the ECA (formerly Coronation) Review, a newspaper she has been with for 45 years and published for the last 40 of them. The last issue will hit the press on March 27th. “Sadly newspapers are no longer the preferred media of choice so there is not enough revenue to hire the staff needed to cover the news. If it wasn’t for the federal government LJI program for the last five years, we would not have been able to cover all the civic councils in communities that did not have
newspaper coverage,” Joyce shared with her readers in the March 4th edition.
Among the killing blows for the Review were Canada Post’s decision in 2024 to not permit “advertising flyers” into her total market coverage newspaper, effectively removing $24,000 annually from the Review’s bottom line, and the federal government’s switch to social media advertising 12 years ago.
Joyce gave credit to the many local businesses and smaller municipalities that helped keep her afloat for many years.
Youth charged in fatal collision
CONSORT - As a result of their investigation, Consort RCMP has charged one individual, a youth under the age of 18, in connection to the Sept. 15, 2024 single vehicle motor vehicle collision which resulted in the death of two youths and the injury of two others.
The youth driver has been charged with the following offences:
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle.
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle, over 80 mg%.
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm x2
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle, over 80 mg%, causing bodily harm x2
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle causing death x2
• Impaired operation of a motor vehicle, over 80 mg% causing death x2
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm x2
• Dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing death x2
The youth was released on an Appearance Notice. They are scheduled to appear in court on Mar. 14, 2025, at the Alberta Court of Justice in Coronation, Alta.
As the offender is a youth no additional information can be provided.
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING AMENDMENT TO SPECIAL AREAS LAND USE ORDER
A PUBLIC HEARING WILL BE HELD TUESDAY, MARCH 25, 2025 BEGINNING AT 1:00 PM
PLACE: SPECIAL AREAS YOUNGSTOWN SERVICE CENTRE, MAIN BOARDROOM, 404-2ND AVE NE, YOUNGSTOWN, AB
Pursuant to the Municipal Government Act (MGA) , the Special Areas Board intends to consider a proposed amendment to Land Use Order (MSD: 064/24) (LUO).
An application has been submitted to the Board that proposed to amend the LUO by introducing definitions, uses and regulations for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) within the Special Areas.
The proposed amendments aim to regulate future BESS developments, including a planned 10 MW Off -Site Battery Energy Storage System in Special Area No. 2, located southwest of Hanna and southeast of Delia (SW 18-30-16-W4M), which is currently under review by the Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC).
The proposed amendments include the following:
• Adding definitions for Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), distinguishing between Off-Site BESS, On-Site BESS (Small) and On-Site BESS (Large)
• Updating relevant Land Use Districts for BESS developments, including discretionary and permitted uses
• Establishing specific regulations for Off-Site and On-Site BESS, including AUC approval requirements, setbacks, and Emergency Response Plans
• Adding On-Site BESS (Small) to the list of uses not requiring a development permit as required
All BESS projects 1 MW or greater require an application process and approval through the AUC.
Copies of the proposed amendments to the LUO are available at Special Areas district offices during regular business hours and online at www.specialareas.ab.ca
Any person adversely or otherwise affected by this action, and wishing to address the Board relating to this matter, may attend the public hearing at 1:00 PM on March 25, 2025. Time limit of oral presentations is subject to the Chair’s discretion.
Written comments and suggestions are invited and should be addressed to “Proposed Amendment - Special Areas Board Land Use Order”. Submissions may be mailed to: Maeghan Chostner, Communications Officer
Special Areas Board
Box 820, 212-2nd Ave. W. Hanna, AB T0J 1P0
Submissions may be emailed to: public.input@specialareas.ab.ca
Written submissions must be received by 4:30 pm on Thursday, March 20, 2025. Written comments will be presented publicly to the Board at the above hearing date.
This notice is given pursuant to Sections 606 and 692 of the Municipal Government Act
Publication: March 10 & 17, 2025
Cancer realities
BY BERNIE KREWSKI
On January 13, Dr. Daniel O’Connell, my follow-up surgeon for the last 10 years, determined there was a recurrence of cancer symptoms in my mouth, and ordered a PET-scan for January 31.
In our discussion February 24, reviewing the results (with Pat’s presence), he described three possible options: no treatment, referral to the Cross Cancer Institute, and surgery.
No treatment would result in a slow but prolonged pathway to eventual death. The Cross might offer some type of chemotherapy in combination with targeted doses of radiation. However, such remedies would only be palliative and provide temporary relief. Surgery, I agreed, was the best and only option. The presence of this cancer, he said, is not directly connected to the onset of cancer that I experienced and for which I was treated in 2004-2005. The time span is far too long. Rather, in layman’s terms, my body is susceptible to oral cancer because I have had it in this area before. This is described in these medical concepts –“condemned mucosa” and “field cancerization.”
I found two research papers that describe this phenomenon: “Danely P. Slaughter’s Field Cancerization Concept of Carcinogenesis: The Path Forward to Early Cancer Detection and Chemoprevention,” Cell & Developmental Biology” (2015) and “Tumor Microenvironment in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma,” Seminars in Oncology (2014).
Eight to 10 hours of surgery will be necessary. It will involve the reconstruction process known as the “flap” – taking vessels/tissues/muscles from my right arm and possibly my leg and connecting them to the wound that needs repair. I experienced this same process, utilizing my left arm, when I had my laryngectomy in 2005.
My ability to speak and swallow will be furthered diminished. The first 72 hours after surgery, he noted, are the most critical.
Surgery will likely occur sometime in March and for certain by the end of April. Dr. O’Connell said I will need to see him every three months for after care during the next two years.
He prescribed an oral rinse to manage the “burning” sensation in my mouth.
The demeanor in this meeting was exactly what most cancer patients want, as I have read in the clinical literature – clear, straightforward, informative, calm, and honest.
Immediately after, we met with Jessica, Dr. O’Connell’s “assistant.” Anticipating this would likely happen, she had “reserved” a time slot already – surgery will be on March 11.
She outlined the next steps, supplemented by calls in the days following: paperwork/consent; physical examination by family doctor; lab work (blood and ECG); biopsy by Dr. O’Connell’s Fellow Feb. 28 (Dr. Andrew Bysice – studying for another year after his residency); Teaching Clinic March 4 (2 hours); Diagnostic Imaging (of arm and leg) March 7; Pre-Admission Clinic (no date).
I am resuming exercising sessions Feb. 28, March 3, 6 and 10. On Sunday March 9, I will be meeting with the two first-year medical students who I have been mentoring for this academic year.
Besides Pat’s support, these three resources will help me face these forthcoming challenges: my years of experience as a cancer patient, knowledge of this chronic disease, and understanding its impact on daily living.
Oyen Lodge News
BY DIANNE SPATH
Hello, everyone. March started with beautiful weather. Hopefully, it will last for the whole month. Most of the snow has disappeared, but I’m sure we will receive more before the month is over. The residents enjoy the weather and go for walks while it’s nice.
Monday morning started with exercises. Father Rodell Abanto comes to the Lodge on Monday mornings to do the Catholic Church service at 10:30. Monday afternoon was bingo. There were two more lucky winners at bingo on number I29. Congrats to Bonnie Hertz and Joan Mick. They both won a $20 gift certificate for Alberta Clothing.
Tuesday started with exercises, followed by the regular bus run downtown so the residents could do their shopping. A one-on-one Scrabble game was played on Tuesday morning. I was excited to be in the lead for once, but I did not win again. Tuesday afternoon was pub day. Refreshments were served along with snacks. Taylor Neilson was at the Lodge to play piano before supper. Tuesday was “National Pancake Day,” so the kitchen served pancakes for supper.
On Wednesday morning, the activity room hosted crossword games, and in the afternoon, shuffleboard games were played. Happy Birthday to Allen Alvarez on March 5th.
Thursday morning started with the Gr. 9 Class visiting residents at the Lodge to do a writing activity, which included writing stories to publish a book for the residents and the school. The students will be at the Lodge every Thursday morning in March to do this activity with the residents. On Thursday morning,
there were also horse races, and in the afternoon, there were dominos. Thursday was “National Dress Day,” and the office staff and some residents wore dresses for the day. Everyone looked beautiful.
Friday morning started with exercises, followed by the “World Day of Prayer” Service at the Lodge. Coffee and cake were served after the service. Friday afternoon was bingo, and in the evening, there was music by the Jorgenson’s. Friday was “National Wear Blue Day”; the residents and some staff took part in the blue theme, and everyone looked wonderful as always.
The decorating has begun for St. Patrick’s Day. It’s starting to look a little green in the dining room. On March 13th, Lisa from Consort and Clark Huston will be playing music at the Lodge at 1:30 in the afternoon. Everyone is welcome to come and enjoy some entertainment.
This week, the residents enjoyed watching the brier curling on TV, and I’m sure they all have their favourite team that they are cheering for.
Have a great week, everyone, and enjoy the weather.
Dianne Spath
World Day of Prayer
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GUNS WANTED: Firearms, Ammo, Entire Collections, Estates. Next Auction March 22. Call 780-842-5666. Buy Outs considered: Will Pick Up. Scribner Auction, Wainwright, Alberta. Website: www.scribnernet.com.
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As the job market becomes increasingly competitive, it can be challenging to retain your employees. Here are four strategies to help keep your talent.
1. Focus on communication. Communicate openly with your employees. Listen to their concerns and be open to new ideas. Let them know they’re heard and that you take them seriously.
2. Think about development. Employees often quit because of a lack of advancement opportunities.Therefore, provide training so your employees can develop their potential,avoid boredom and take on new challenges.
CLASSIFIED AD RATES (20 words or less). $10.00 plus GST. Additional words are 20¢ each. Deadline is Friday noon. 306-463-2211
Details:
- May 5th to
3. Offer benefits. Ask your employees what your company could improve and add these to their benefits and perks. For example, you could include group insurance,paid holidays, yoga classes, flexible working hours and telemedicine.
As the job market becomes petitive, it can be challenging employees. Here are four keep your talent.
- Full-time: 40 hrs./week, Mon.-Fri., 7 AM to 3
Duties Include:
4. Get out of the office. Create opportunities for your employees to socialize and have fun in a context that doesn’t revolve around work. Use the opportunity to celebrate their successes.
- Yard maintenance such as mowing, weed eating, planting, watering, small tree trimming, pond care, garden weeding, etc.
1. Focus on communication. openly with your employees. their concerns and be Let them know they’re take them seriously.
- Small maintenance projects such as painting, minor repairs, general cleaning and other duties as assigned
How to apply:
Employee retention also depends on effective recruitment.Therefore, use a specialized agency to start your talent search today.
Submit resume no later than April 1st to: gloria.jorgenson@acadiafoundation.com or drop off in person at 310 - 2nd Street West. Only those selected for an interview will be contacted.
Eligibility:
2. Think about development. ten quit because of a opportunities.Therefore, so your employees can tential,avoid boredom challenges.
Whether you already work in information technology (IT) or are just starting studies,here are three qualities your success.
1. ANALYTICAL SKILLS
Applicants must meet all eligibility criteria of the Canada Summer Jobs 2025 Program, such as being between 15 and 30 years of age at the beginning of the employment period; be a Canadian citizen, permanent resident, or person to whom refugee protection has been conferred under the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act for the duration of the employment; and have a valid Social Insurance Number at the start of employment and be legally entitled to work in Canada in accordance with relevant provincial or territorial legislation and regulations.
As an IT employee, you’re often solve problems. Consequently, you joy challenging yourself and looking novative solutions.You must also rently curious to stay updated with technologies in a constantly evolving 2. COMMUNICATION SKILLS IT specialists must be able to communicate with their colleagues and clients.This
Acadia Municipal Library
BY TRISHA FISCHBUCH
New adult fiction books this week include Order of Swans by Jude Deveraux, Leaving Independence by William W. Johnstone, and The Housemaid is Watching (book #3 in the Housemaids series) by Freida McFadden. Deadpool & Wolverine has been added to the movie section.
Congratulations to Scarlette-Lee Jangula, the winner of the “Love Your Library Month” draw! Thanks to all 43 of you who came in to fill out a heart. Some of the many reasons given for loving the library were: “There are great books to read, resources to use, special events, puzzles, crafts, movies, and more!”; “I can read a lot of books online for free!”; “It keeps me reading!! There are so many great reads here and the staff is awesome!”. We are thrilled to hear that so many people are finding value in the library. Thanks to all who participated! Join us for the next afterschool movie on Tuesday March 25th at 3:30. The movie Escape to Witch Mountain will be showing and free popcorn and juice will be provided.
Remember that library hours are changing this week. New hours will be Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 1:00-6:00 PM.
“Libraries store the energy that fuels the imagination. They open up windows to the world and inspire us to explore and achieve.” - Sidney Sheldon
Oyen Briefs
BY DIANA WALKER
I accompanied Don Ball to Rocky Mountain House February 3 where we attended the funeral of our cousin Gerald Melvin Carson, born April 3, 1940 in Meskanaw, Saskatchewan and died January 24, 2025 at the age of 84. He was the son of our Grandma Hazel Ball’s sister Marie and Seth Carson. Gerry worked for a time operating caterpillars in the oil/gas field and digging dugouts in the Oyen area with my dad.
I attend the Alberta Association of Agricultural Societies in Edmonton from February 6 to 8 at the River Cree. I went a day early stopping in Camrose to visit briefly with Sandra Dorosz. Then I spent the afternoon and night with cousin Lynn (Edwards) and Harold Boyd.
Before I left the convention hotel, Bernie Krewski and Pat Siferd visited, bringing me four books to donate to Oyen’s Crossroads Museum written by former Oyenite Stan Dragland – Journeys Through Bookland, Stormy Weather/Foursomes, Apocrypha Further Journeys (Alberta, Ontario, Newfoundland) and The Drowned Lands. Bernie included a book entitled Empire of Dust (settling and abandoning the Prairie Dry Belt) by David C. Jones who writes of the fate of the doomed town of Alderson, Alberta.
I remained in Edmonton for two days visiting my cousin Kay (Anderson) Schmidt. We spent one afternoon at the University of Alberta Hospital visiting Kay’s husband Al who was recuperating from a heart attack. He has now been moved to Leduc for rehab.
Sympathy to the family of Erak Chrysler, husband of Nicole Creurer of Calgary, Alberta, who passed away peacefully in Calgary on February 4, 2025 at the age of 82 years. Condolences also to his twin sister Budz Crace as well as locals brotherin-law Ken Helm, and sister-in-law Sharon Dahl and their families.
Municipal election will be held in October of 2025. Have you considered running for the seat of Council or Mayor? Is there someone you feel is fitting. Stop at the Town office to get that nomination form.
ABmunis event addresses recurring and new challenges to municipalities
EDMONTON – More than 400 municipal elected officials and senior administrators met at Alberta Municipalities’ two-day Spring Municipal Leaders’ Caucus (MLC) in Edmonton to discuss key issues, share perspectives, and hear from provincial cabinet ministers.
We were pleased to celebrate the provincial government’s partial restoration of Grants in Place of Taxes (GIPOT) in Budget 2025. This year’s increase is a significant step in the right direction, and the provincial government’s commitment to fully restore this funding in 2026-27 is deeply appreciated. We are grateful that the provincial government heard our 264 members when they called for GIPOT funding to be fully reinstated as soon as possible.
“We are pleased whenever our members feel their concerns have been heard by the provincial government, especially as municipalities’ needs are being challenged by international politics” said ABmunis’ President Tyler Gandam. “There’s strength in working together to overcome shared challenges.”
Alberta Municipalities (ABmunis) is concerned about the stress and strain our member communities are experiencing due to Alberta’s unprecedented population growth over the past few years. The addition of several hundred-thousand people to our province has led to extra wear and tear on aging municipal infrastructure and increased demand for a wide range of family and community preventative services like those provided by FCSS. The provincial government acknowledged these growth-related issues in Budget 2025, but it neither increased the base funding amount for its Local Government Fiscal Framework (LGFF) nor increased FCSS funding beyond the usual $105 million a year. We intend to continue advocating for funding increases for both.
Today, our members heard Premier Smith’s call to adjust their municipal procurement policies so they “buy local” as much as possible in response to ongoing American efforts to impose tariffs on a wide range of products. Our members will enthusiastically purchase locally and provincially made products whenever possible. For most, this represents no change from their current policies. Alberta Municipalities’ stands shoulder-to-shoulder with the provincial government on this important issue.
SHOP LOCAL. SAVE LOCAL
Support the local businesses that keep your community and its newspapers thriving.
Scarlette-Lee Jangula was the lucky winner of the “Love Your Library Month” draw. SUBMITTED
Diana Walker
New parent and newborn line launches in rural Alberta
CALGARY – On March 4, Primary Care Alberta (PCA) launched the New Parent and Newborn Line – a service that refers Health Link 811 callers in North, South and Central zones to registered nurses specializing in postpartum care.
“Parents often have questions related to care for their newborn. The New Parent and Newborn Line provides expert postpartum information free of charge, to all parents in North, South and Central zones who have a baby under two months of age,” says Patricia Chambers, Executive Lead of Patient Navigation and System Integration with PCA.
Nurses are available 24/7 to offer support, information and referrals to new parents and caregivers for the first two months after their baby’s birth. Albertans can reach the New Parent and Newborn line by calling 1-833-805-BABY (2229).
The new line complements the Healthy Beginnings and Early Start Parent Information lines already offered in the Calgary and Edmonton zones, completing universal provincial access for new parents with ba-
VIVA VITALITY:
bies under two months of age.
All three lines answer questions including caring for baby, breastfeeding, mother’s health, and baby’s health.
“This is the newest line to be added to the vast suite of virtual health services offered by Primary Care Alberta through Health Link 811,” says PCA CEO Kimberley Simmonds. “Offering virtual health services empowers Albertans to seek out their own appropriate care options without having to go to the emergency department or their primary care provider, ensuring Albertans continue to receive the right care at the right place at the right time.”
Primary Care Alberta is a made-in-Alberta solution to improve access to the primary care services Albertans rely on. By delivering coordinated services, Primary Care Alberta allows for valued healthcare professionals to do what they do best – care for you. Together, we are creating a future where compassionate, timely and effective healthcare is available to every Albertan at every stage of life.
Heads up! Recognizing, preventing and treating concussions
BY LAURA LUKYE
With warmer weather around the corner, kids will be excited to start their spring and summer sports. And when kids play sports – especially contact sports like football, soccer and lacrosse – they are at increased risk for concussions and other serious injuries. But it doesn’t have to be a contact sport to get a concussion.
As parents, coaches and educators, we need to understand the signs, symptoms and impact of a concussion, and know when it’s okay for athletes to return to play after a concussion.
Athletes sometimes joke about “getting your bell rung,” or feeling a “stinger” after taking a hit during sports. However, adolescent concussions are common and can have serious consequences. We can’t tell an athlete to “walk it off.” We need to be able to recognize the signs and take the necessary steps to help our athletes.
So, what is a concussion? Concussion is a brain injury. Any blow to the head, face and neck, or to the body that causes a sudden shaking or jarring of the brain inside the skull, may cause a concussion. A concussion can result from any number of activities including receiving a check in hockey, falling from a jungle gym, being in a motor vehicle collision or slipping on an icy sidewalk. You do not need to lose consciousness to have had a concussion.
Signs and symptoms of a concussion include headache, nausea or vomiting, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue or low energy, sensitivity to light or noise, loss of consciousness, general confusion or fogginess, difficulty concentrating, difficulty remembering, and feeling more emotional, irritable, sad, nervous or anxious.
If you suspect a concussion, remove the athlete from the game and seek medical attention. Do not leave the athlete alone.
Concussions from contact sports is a growing concern amid accumulating evidence of how they can affect a person’s brain over time. We need to take the steps in understanding concussion basics. For more information on the signs and symptoms of concussions and understanding when your child can return to sport, visit Parachute Canada online at parachute.ca.
Laura Lukye is a Health Promotion Facilitator with Alberta Health Services.
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CEREAL
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19
• Cereal Board of Trade Annual General Meeting 7:00 PM at the C.J. Peacock Centre. Seeking volunteers to help promote business and improve life in and around Cereal.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26
• Cereal Community Club AGM 7:00 PM at the Cereal Community Centre. Everyone is welcome to attend.
- Cereal Cottages Coffee on Tuesdays 10:30
- 11:30 AM
- Quilting Club weekly Wednesdays 10:00 AM
- 4 PM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
- Cereal Playground most Tuesdays 10:00 AM at the CJ Peacock Centre.
EMPRESS
MONDAY, MARCH 24
• Empress Friendship Centre Friendship
A break in the weather
BY DIANA WALKER
With a pleasant break in the weather on February 25, Jason Birchmore, local ATCO powerline technician, and Harvey Brown, Town of Oyen Public Works, took down the Christmas lights and stored them for another season. Shoppers will have to await the arrival of the flower boxes to brighten up the street again. Each year, ATCO helps the town’s Public Works Department set up and take down the lights at no additional cost to the Town residents.
“The Town of Oyen purchased eight new lights in 2024,” Jaime Bowles, Town of Oyen Corporate Services Manager told The Echo. “Our existing ones stretched from the Clock Tower to the Special Areas’ corner. The new ones were hung on 1st Avenue, running to 2nd Street. With plans to purchase another 7 or 8 lights, we can do all of 1st Ave west from the town entrance to Main Street and extend Main Street south to the fire hall,” concluded Bowles.
Suppers 5:30-6:30 PM. Please RSVP to 403-565-2000. Please leave your name and number attending.
TUESDAY, MARCH 25
• Empress & District Historical Society AGM 7:00 PM Empress Friendship Centre. New members welcome.
- Game Night Saturdays at 6:00 PM at the Community Hall. Come join us for a night of fun and excitement. Play games and hang out with friends and family.
- Classic Movie Night every Tuesday at the Empress Community Hall at 7:00 PM. Bring your blanket & lawn chair. Popcorn, chips, candy, pop, water and hotdogs available in the canteen! Free Admission. A different classic film each week. Sponsored by Empress & District Fine Arts, Culture and Leisure Society.
OYEN
MARCH 10-23
• Badlands Badgers annual online auction. Located on Facebook page “Badlands Badgers Online Auction”
FRIDAY, MARCH 14
• Oyen Skating Club presents “Mary Poppins” 5:30 PM. Come out and enjoy a night to support our local skaters. Concession will be open along with a prize table.
FRIDAY, MARCH 21
• Fun Night for Members and their Guests at Oyen and District Seniors Recreation Centre 7:00 to Midnight. Games and Socializing. Bring Snacks. Call Beth 403 664 2462 for more information.
FRIDAY, MARCH 28
• Oyen United Church Soup and Sandwich
11:00 AM - 1:00 PM. Adults $15, Kids 6-12 $5, under 6 Free.
- Oyen Town Council meet 2nd Tuesday of every month 6:00 PM in Council Chambers. - Community Choir every Wednesday at 7:00 PM in the Evangelical Missionary Church. The choir will perform at the Ecumanical Good Friday Service on April 18th.
SIBBALD
SATURDAY, MARCH 15
• Sibbald Community Club presents “The Sibbald Games.” For details call/text Olivia (306) 430-8487 or Chandra (403) 6640469.
Jason Birchmore and Harvey Brown were busy removing the Christmas decorations during the warmer weather last week. PHOTOS BY DIANA WALKER
